by Lillian To

Fireflies is always changing! Every week our staff is rotating, the infants and toddlers are increasing in number; they grow in height and weight and at the end of each month before we switch out our Sunday school lesson the toddlers have developed a further understanding of God’s character.

This week, Fireflies, wanted to take some time to specifically highlight a few more of those significant changes in the life of the Fireflies ministry.

Nursery 1 (0-18 months)

We have been noticing the growing population on this side of Fireflies. And we can only anticipate even more growth as God continues to multiply the families in our church. To help accommodate some of those needs, Fireflies has purchased two new pack and plays with bassinets. This is for our infants so they can sleep while they are in Fireflies.

Nursery 2 (18-36 months)

During the month of June, we saw three of our Fireflies promoted into Sparklers (preschool ministry). This is always a significant time in the life of the child as he or she matures both physically and spiritually. We hope and pray that the seeds sown during Fireflies have fallen on good soil and that we will see these young ones come to know Christ as Lord and Savior!

Curriculum

For the summer months, the truth lessons and memory verses that have and will be covered are:

A project that we wanted to share with you is our MEMORY VERSE project. We’ve found that integrating music has been helpful in bible verse memorization. While we teach the reason for why we memorize scripture – I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you (Psalm 119:11) – and explain and illustrate each verse, we’ve also taught them the verse by singing it.

The Fireflies staff recently began work on making recordings of these verses and placed them online. Currently we have two of the verses online. This project is still in the works and we wanted to share that progress with you (Fireflies Media). We hope you enjoy it and can memorize God’s word with us too!

Staff

Lastly, our staff has been going through a lot of changes. This past year, the staff had been the biggest it has ever been at a little more than 35. However, in the months of May, June and July, we saw many of these ladies transition out as they moved home, started grad school, family transitions, or went on the church plant. Yet through it all we can only testify of God’s faithfulness as he continued to provide more staff to serve in Fireflies. We are excited for our newest staff and welcome them!!!

Although we are sad to see our former staff members leave, we can only anticipate how God will use each of them whether it is in a different region of California, Hawaii, across the country or on the church plant team; we know that God is with them wherever they go. Perhaps something we’ll hear in the coming months will be the start of another Fireflies ministry at LBCSJ!

With all the changes going on here in Fireflies, our personal lives, and in the life of our church, let us be reminded there is one thing that remains the same: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8). Let’s find refuge in that truth! Praise God!

Book by John MacArthur

Review by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

One helpful piece of advice I’ve received in reading books is to ask your pastor who he loves to read, but even more, to find out who their favorite authors are, and then to read their books. From there, you can have a good idea which authors they recommend, as well as books, and read those as well. Learning from wise men helps you to grow to be wise, especially if they point you to the God of wisdom, who gives wisdom to anyone who asks in faith without doubt (James 1:5-6).

It’s through that stream of guidance that I was made aware of John MacArthur’s very short book on God’s will, Found: God’s Will (Find the Direction and Purpose God Want for Your Life). In just 57 short pages, Pastor MacArthur helps guide you to understand and know God’s will for your own life through the source of divine wisdom, the Holy Scriptures. Preached later as a sermon*, this book promises, as the sixth principle, that you can do whatever you want, if the other five principles are being implemented in your life. The five principles are: (1) to be saved, (2) Spirit-filled, (3) sanctified, (4) submissive, and (5) suffering. It might sound like I’ve already told you all there is to need to know about this book, but if you are not well-aware of what the Bible says about any of these principles, you might be confused as to what God’s will is to be in your life.

The simplicity and clarity of this subject stems more from the simplicity and clarity of the Word of God on this subject. God’s Word fully addresses which college to attend, how to choose where to serve in the church, what mission field you could potentially give your life to, who to marry, and so on. The reason I am not adding in quotes is because it’s not only hard to choose what would be helpful, but more a hope that you would go and get this book and have a confident trust in what Scripture says God’s will is. To say it’s hard to find is a gross untruth. To find it in Holy Scripture is to learn to think God’s thoughts after Him, and that’s not a bad position to be in. It is as practical as it is short, and I am truly thankful that God would reveal His will in a way where we can never say we lost it.

* The link above links to the GTY archive which includes the official transcript and MP3. “Taking the Mystery Out of Knowing God’s Will,” is also available as a 6-part video on Youtube.

Book by Greg Gilbert

Review by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Having had the great privilege of going on short-term missions, I’ve been blessed to have a good number of conversations with people in Argentina about the message most important to us: the Gospel. The Gospel, as preached in our church, deals with the person and work of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. To be involved in any type of missions has to get you thinking and talking about the Gospel with those around you. It’s impossible not to. As a matter of fact, it should be that way not only during a missions trip, but every day of your life. I saw this as a constant theme throughout the trip, which is always a rebuke to how I live my life on a daily basis. Missions trips usually do that.

Having said that, reading books about the Gospel can continue to help foster a flavor of speech that is influenced by what the Gospel is all about, since you’re confronted with the claims of Jesus and how it should readily lead to faith and repentance on our part (though as sinners we never respond this way without God Himself intervening). It’s a blessing to have many works to choose from with regards to being very aware of what the Gospel message is (especially having the Scriptures). And yet, many professing Christians will give you puzzling looks when asked, “What is the Gospel?” They know they should know the answer, but always dread that question. I’ve had that encounter before, and it’s an uncomfortable position to be in. Imagine being asked that by a Mormon, or a Muslim, and the loss of credibility that follows when you cannot explain to another how one becomes a Christian.

Enter What is the Gospel? by Greg Gilbert. Weighing in at 114 pages, this book is a clear, deep (though not scholarly) look into what the Gospel message is all about. Pastor Greg is all too familiar with the problem many people in the church have in answering the most important question anyone can ask:

[H]ow firm a grasp do you think most Christians really have on the content of the Christian gospel? How would you answer if someone asked you: What is this news that you Christians go on and on about? And what’s so good about it? (p.15)

He knows, and gives many horrendous examples, of how people have answered that question before (and still answer to this day!). He doesn’t hold back what a sad reality it is when churches are filled with people who do not know the Gospel: unhealthy living:

There would be nothing healthy at all in Christians who couldn’t care less how we define and understand the gospel…Christians just don’t agree on what the gospel is–even Christians who call themselves evangelical. (p.17)

Because of this, Pastor Gilbert wrote this books for various reasons, of which are mentioned below:

• For the Christian, to cause your heart to swell with joy and praise towards Jesus Christ for what he has accomplished for you.
• It will give you a deeper confidence as you talk to others about the good news of Jesus.
• To see the importance of this gospel for the life of the church, and that as a result you will work to make sure that this gospel is preached, sung, prayed, taught, proclaimed, and heard in every aspect of your church’s life.
• To help to shore up the edges of the gospel in your mind and heart.
• For the non-Christian, to be provoked to think hard about the good news of Jesus Christ.

The book is broken into eight chapters, four of which explain the four components of the Gospel message: God, man, Christ, response. If you miss mentioning one, you get the message wrong. If you have the wrong view of any one of these components, you get the message wrong. The reason Pastor Gilbert believes this to be the case is because he sees this as being taught by Scripture itself (even if not in a slick presentation):

Whatever else [the apostles] might say, these are the issues that seem to lie at the heart of their presentation of the gospel. Contexts change, angles change, words change, and approaches change, but somehow and in some way the earliest Christians always seem to get at these four issues: We are accountable to the God who created us. We have sinned against that God and will be judged. But God has acted in Jesus Christ to save us, and we take hold of that salvation by repentance from sin and faith in Jesus. (p.32)

Obviously this God-man-Christ-response structure is not a slavish formula. The apostles don’t necessarily tick the points off like a checklist when they proclaim the gospel. Depending on the context, how long they have to preach, and who is included in their audience, they explain those four points at various lengths. Sometimes one or more of them are even left implicit rather than explicit–especially the fact that it is God to whom we are accountable and from whom we need the gift of forgiveness. (p.35)

Each component is observed through the Scriptures to point us to what God says will save a man who deserves His wrath. If God has plans to make life with Him available, wouldn’t you want to know how that is possible? Christian, what arrogance to assume you no longer have need of this! If Christ has demonstrated His love for you that is far greater than anything your spouse, brother/sister, pastor, parents, and friends can ever do for you (combined!), would you not want to know why?

The book also contains chapters dealing with what the Bible says the kingdom is all about (and the many misconceptions behind it), the importance of keeping the cross at the center of your life (and decentralized alternatives to the Gospel), and finally the power that the Gospel comes with. It is a short, yet clear, explanation of the good news of Jesus Christ that it will be a great read for your small group, for discipling a new believer, for comforting a seasoned/weary saint, or to introduce to someone who has no idea what Christianity is all about. There is much to chew on in this book, and God is to be praised for using sinners saved by grace to be a blessing to others.

There is no getting around it: if Paul, one of Jesus Christ’s apostles, calls this message “of first importance” (1 Corinthians 15:3), how dare we go against him on this! I would highly encourage all to spend time to dig deep into the Gospel, and be humbled and grateful all over again to the glorious grace that God gave to you (and still gives today!).

Book by Walter Chantry

Book Review by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

I remember reading through Today’s Gospel when we read it for flocks. It was a short book that reoriented the typical view of the evangel, the Gospel. Throughout the less than 100 pages, pastor Walter Chantry engaged himself into the Lordship Salvation controversy, summarizing and explaining the text of Scripture that dealt with the rich young ruler. It was hard-hitting, and convicting, causing me to be more aware of how I tell the message of Christ to those who haven’t heard it before. It was the first book I read that dealt with what message we are called to proclaim from the very words of Christ Himself.

Since that book had a profound effect on my life, I was pleased to discover that Chantry had written other books. Weighing in at only 73 pages, The Shadow of the Cross is focused on the theme of self-denial, and how it is to be a daily aspect of the Christian life. Throughout the seven chapters, Chantry is not afraid to write statements that could be seen by outsiders as overemphasizing or grossly exaggerating the picture of self-denial. Starting with the text of 2 Corinthians 5:13-15, pastor Chantry begins the book in this way:

Self-denial is a practice which lies very near to the heart of true religion. Without its exercise there can be no conversion to Christ. Qualities most basic to a Christian frame of heart—notably humility and meekness—would dissolve without its active expression. Self-denial awaits the sons of God as they enter upon their private devotions. It stands at the threshold of witnessing and other service to our holy Lord. It is a most painful element in each struggle after holiness. Denial of self is the key to the solution of numerous practical questions which perplex the sober-minded believer of today. A right understanding of this basic biblical demand would silence a host of errors regarding evangelism, sanctification, and practical living. (p.7, emphasis mine)

Chantry then spends the rest of the book explaining the biblical view of self-denial in a way that supports this opening paragraph. False views of many vital aspects of Christianity are addressed and answered with a biblical mindset that is decidedly contrary to the view of the world:

Nothing leads to self-repudiation so much as spiritual meditation on the corruption and wickedness of your heart. If your soul has grasped human depravity you have been forced to deny yourself…While man’s self-esteem is crushed, his esteem for the Lord God of hosts is established. God’s glory and grace strike and captivate the heart. (p.9, emphasis mine)

Self-denial really means a denial of yourself, causing your wants and desires to be directed, not at yourself, but at others, for others, out of a spiritual desire to please Christ above yourself.

This is the mindset that a Christian must have, since it is the way one becomes a Christian:

There must be self-effacement, self-repudiation, self-denial even to become a disciple [a student] of Jesus Christ. (19)

Some who call themselves ‘Christian’ in fact have never taken up their crosses. Being ignorant of the experience of self-execution, of self-denial, they are of necessity strangers to Christ. (20)

Jesus’ figure of bearing a cross is an elaboration of his demand for self-denial. Bearing a cross is every Christian’s daily, conscious selection of those options which will please Christ, pain self, and aim at putting self to death. (25, author’s emphasis)

Chantry points to the text of Scripture that addresses the life of one of Christ’s disciples, Luke 9:23-24:

And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

The call to deny yourself is a commitment Christ demands, and to take up your cross (which is another way of expressing self-denial) is to be done daily. This is the basis for any true and lasting joy that can be experienced on this earth:

Mention of self-denial is essential if we are to be faithful to any who are attracted to the benefits associated with trusting the Lord Jesus. Danger lurks for those who do not carefully count the costs of forsaking this present world to follow him. (31)

Hebrews 12:2 tells us that he ‘for the joy that was set before him endured the cross.’ (32)

Peter had left all to follow Jesus…he received a peace which the world cannot give [John 14:27]. Peace with a reconciled God, peace concerning the future, and peace flowing from the assured presence of the Son of God, filled his soul. (34)

Often our Lord grants manifold more in kind (Luke 18:29-30)…How many have found fellowship in the assembly of the redeemed more intimate and gratifying than a home lost for Christ’s sake. (34)

What our Lord and Savior is calling us to is a life devoid of selfishness. In doing so, our lives should be completely filled with new desires that will please Him, and bring us joy, not only in the afterlife, but also in the present life. This is the life that Christ calls us to live, and it is one that will radically change you if you answer that call.

Chantry discusses various aspects of our lives to illustrate the radical nature of such self-denail: Christian liberty, marriage, ministry, and prayer. Each chapter is written in such a way that the key points are applicable to any Christian. For example, he chapter on marriage has some gems even for singles, and the chapter on ministry is applicable for non-pastors as well.

I highly recommend this short work by Walter Chantry. Read it, and pray God will really make Himself known to you in such a way that your life grows in self-denial rather than self-esteem. It is the way of the cross, and it is the only life worth living.

Book by J.C. Ryle

Book Review by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

When you have thoughts reserved for young men that stem from personal experience, the basic qualification needed is that the person who has these thoughts is no longer young and is a man. It’s assumed these are thoughts that young men would benefit spending some time to consider. Well, from reading this short book, J.C. Ryle is more than qualified, and young men would be foolish not to heed this man’s advice.

If you don’t know anything about Bishop Ryle, you would think this book was written very recently, since many in our day are averse to spending time with young men, and would appreciate some kind of word that would jolt them into sober-mindedness. Surprisingly, for those unaware, Ryle died in 1900, and wrote this at a very late age (71 years old). How often would you come across an older man at that age who would gladly spend time with you and impart to you his wisdom that he’s gleaned over the years—especially a godly man? How many of us know men that age who are still following hard after Christ? It’s books like these that remind me that I am in need of learning—not to be proud of how much I know now, but grateful that I have a resource from which to observe this kind of wisdom. That’s what every book (including this one) has brought me to realize. I am not perfect in this life (nor will be), so I must grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Christ, and, in His wisdom and sovereign will, has given various men (and women) in the faith to have wisdom to share with the body of Christ.

This book is broken up into four parts that J.C. Ryle believes is crucial for the life of a young man:

1. The Reasons for Exhorting Young Men
2. The Dangers of Young Men
3. The General Counsels to Young Men
4. Special Rules for Young Men

Titus 2:6 has formed the basis for why Ryle thought it necessary for him to write this book: “Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.” Following the Apostle Paul’s advice, he plows through within each of these four sections, and speaks frankly, as well as compassionately, to the youth of his day (and ours) about the reality of life in a fallen world. Reading this book, I couldn’t help but be reminded of my need for older men to guide me in my walk with Christ, and to be slow to speak and quick to hear. Ryle knew the many temptations of a young man, since he was one. He remembers vividly the mistakes he made and saw that it as inherent in a young man to welcome many problems into their own life without giving an ear to one who has already gone before them.

If you have read anything written by Bishop Ryle, you know he asks very uncomfortable questions, not unnecessary ones. It’s pointed straight at the heart of every young man, who very much knows the answer to many of his questions, and yet could also be self-deceived into the answers they give. Easily, the entire book could be quoted, since there is much to learn from each sentence that he writes. Here are a few:

I tremble to observe how few young men are led by the Spirit—how few are in that narrow way which leads to life—how few are setting their affections upon things above—how few are taking up the cross and following Christ. (6)

Who in their families give them most pain and trouble?…Who are the class which requires the most incessant watching and looking after?…“The Young Men.” (7, italics his)

Two things are said to be very rare sights in the world—one is a young man humble, and the other is an old man content. (19)

Contempt of holy things is the high road to infidelity. Once let a man begin to make a jest and joke of any part of Christianity, and I am never surprised to hear that he has turned out a downright believer. (28)

[S]eek to become acquainted with our Lord Jesus Christ. This is, indeed, the principal thing in religion. This is the cornerstone of Christianity. Till you know this, my warnings and advice will be useless, and your endeavours, whatever they may be, will be in vain. (34)

And that is only half the book! This book is like listening to a father speak to his son about what is most important. However, in this case, it’s a worshipper of Christ who seeks to bring other people into true worship of the risen Savior, all for the love of the little ones (Mark 10:14). If you are a young man, read this book. If you are a man, read this book. If you have doubts as to how Christianity relates to your teenage life, read this book. If you are one who desires wisdom from above, read this book. Your life will never be the same, if you put into practice the appeals of this godly man.

Book by Michael Card

Book Review by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Living a life that enables you to disciple someone else is one of great joy and hardship, of service and sacrifice, being mindful of the end goal, and filled with spontaneous moments of instruction. I think every time I read a book on discipleship, I see the many weaknesses I have and how I hope to be better. Reading The Walk has not been any different, since I can imagine myself placed in the many different situations the two men in this book were often in. Although I am definitely not an expert in leading another to growth in Christ, I try to find as much teaching as I can get.  Since I have such narrow vision, I need outside help to see what Christ wants me to see.

From the beginning, the book is about Michael Card, a Christian musician, and William Lane (not William Lane Craig), a biblical scholar, and their discipleship relationship. Interestingly enough, both Card and Lane are respected in their own field, which can appeal to either fans of Card’s music (count me one of them), or those appreciative of Lane’s writings (not yet). The book is written is in the same style as the famous Tuesdays with Morrie (by Mitch Albom), which emphasizes telling a story as a means of teaching. However, this book has a little of both: the teaching (or the walk, as Card puts it) and the truth of it lived out (or the story). Compared to other books on discipleship are popular now, this book is special in that Card recites some of the teachings that Lane had taught him, and he shows how his teacher’s life is in conformity to that truth. Most books will emphasize the teaching at the expense of showing how you apply it, and so this book does offer something new.

What caught me off guard while reading this book is the insight, wisdom, and love William Lane expressed to Card. Of course, being a biblical scholar, he had to have a working knowledge of the Word of God to be able to function as a seminary professor, but he shows those traits much more as a discipler. Their story begins when Michael is attending Western Kentucky University, with Lane as the interim pastor of his church.  Knowing him to be one who knows God, Michael asked if they could start meeting for a while, hoping to benefit from having Lane as his mentor. From their hikes, Michael grew to learn what Lane would later call the cycle of discipleship:

Bill saw three phases in Jesus’ pattern of discipleship. The first we find in Mark 3:13-15; it is the call to be with Jesus. The second phase, which is in Mark 6:7, 12-13, represents the commissioning of the disciples. The third is in Mark 6:30-31; here we see the disciples returning to Jesus, reporting to him all the things they had seen and heard. At this moment they heard the word from Jesus, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest” (Mark 6:31). Bill used this pattern in his relationships with the students he mentored as well as in his own walk with the Lord. (46)

Those three phases form the structure for the rest of the book, and also serve as a metaphor for a Christian’s spiritual walk, as well as the structure for discipleship.  They became foundational for how Michael saw his life, as he relates towards the end of the book:

As I look at this cycle of discipleship and ministry, it’s interesting to apply it to the context of each day. I wake in the morning, and I’m with Jesus. I learn from Him. I read His Word. I spend time with Him. I realize my commission, and then I go out. I do His work and I speak His Word. Then, at the end of the day, I come back and report to Jesus everything I’ve done and everything I’ve said….You can apply the cycle over a day, over a matter of months, or over a lifetime. That was my experience with Bill, who first shared this concept with me. (125-126)

Many of the aphorisms in the book are reoccurring, such as: “When God gives a gift, He wraps it in a person” (22), “It is more important to say ‘I trust you’ than it is to say ‘I love you’” (43), and “Sonship/daughtership is established in the wilderness” (83). These sayings he had would end up pointing to the one he would keep in his heart most: “I want to show you how a Christian man dies” (109). William Lane found out in 1995 that he had cancer. His life now took a new turn towards returning to Christ, and he wanted to show Michael, both in teaching but now more than ever in modeling, how a man redeemed by his Savior is to die. Even in death, he wanted to die as one who honors Christ with his all.

This story has drawn many lessons I want to model in my own life, especially in regards to showing others how to understand God’s gift of Christ to us. Their unique friendship drew each other closer to Christ, and a exhibited the love Christian men have for one another: sacrificial love, love that will always sharpen, instruct, and nurture. The sad reality of it is, the world mocks this kind of love. The only reason they seem to do so is they don’t understand this kind of love because they’ve never experienced sacrificial love. This kind of friendship will always give hope, because it points back to Christ whom we are to be with, sent out by, and return to all throughout our lives.

Book by Douglas Wilson

Review by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Becoming familiar with Pastor Douglas Wilson and his writing style has always given me a helpful dose of reality in living out the Christian life thoughtfully, and this book is no different. I’m already getting ahead of myself, but I know Pastor Wilson from reading a few of his books and his blog, and it has always left me challenged and encouraged to think afresh of commonly-tread truths gleaned from Scripture. Especially his recent engagements with well-known “anti-theist” (a self-designated title) Christopher Hitchens have shown Wilson to be a winsome communicator of Christian theism, despite your personal position regarding the existence of God.

For those taking the Introduction to Presuppositional Apologetics class at church, this would be helpful supplemental reading, one that weighs in at only 88 pages and is very easy to read. Similar to John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress, the main character’s name describes who he is: Evangelist. It is a collection of “case studies” of encounters Evangelist has with people of many different persuasions, drawing them to encounter the Great Persuasion of the claims of Christ. All set in a dream, it portrays, in very intriguing imagery, moments where this servant of God tries to point people to the upward Road that leads to the City, instead of choosing the one that leads to the Abyss. However many road signs are laid out for people to be warned of what’s ahead, God has many of His evangelists, like this one, to be God’s expression of love to those who are deceived into believing many lies that end up defining them. Though they have actual names, it does not take long to discover where they stand themselves. Each meet-up consists of roughly 7 pages, with conversations you would love to eavesdrop in.

One such encounter involves a man named Randy who is very much unashamed of being with many women throughout his life, and how he views Christians as people very ashamed of even discussing the topic. Listen in:

Randy: “Look, you religious types are all alike. You look down your noses at people having a good time, and you’re envious. You wish you could get a little action. But you can’t because of all your rules. So you cram your rules down our throats.”

Evangelist smiled and slowly shook his head. “I will not defend the rules; they are not mine to defend, they are God’s. He will apply and defend them adequately enough. As to your accusation of envy, I have only one thing to say. If I see a 400-pound man on the street, I do not envy him all the additional pleasure he has had at the dinner table. Nor do I envy you your time in bed.”

…

Randy’s laughter was increasingly nervous, and he had a hunted expression.

“I just couldn’t live like you do. I want to spend my time around pretty women.”

This time it was Evangelist’s turn to laugh, but there was no mockery in it. “Then why do you spend time with women who are not? My wife, Compassion, is a beautiful woman, and her beauty begins on the inside. I have never been ashamed of her. I would be very ashamed indeed to be involved with a woman who was willing to be used as a thing.” (p.13)

The exchanges Evangelist has with people show a familiarity of the Christian worldview, as well as a reflective mind in drawing conclusions with his interlocutors they might not necessarily want to embrace, even if it is a logical outflow of their own presuppositions. Interestingly enough, Pastor Wilson had noted in a later interview* that he was not aware of his approach in engaging unbelievers having a name (Presuppositional Apologetics), much less a developed system of thought started by Cornelius Van Til. To seek to be consistent with one’s assumptions about the world is to collapse into living an inconsistent life, unless one’s assumptions are that the God of Scripture exists as a Trinity and has spoken in a way we can understand, with a message that shatters all other messages void of truth. Evangelist’s job, ultimately, is to honor his Master by pointing those heading toward the Abyss to come and honor their Creator and come towards the City on the basis of Jesus the Christ who died to bring them to Himself. How he points many to this way is by reasoning with them to live accordingly to their unbelief, which is what cannot be done, nor do they want to, in outright defiance of the One who made them.

I’m sure many of us can find great help from this book, if we know anyone with these kinds of persuasions: one who pursues immorality, one who considers the law of God irrelevant, a feminist, an agnostic, an unbelieving scholar, an atheist, one against election, an unhappy married couple, one hurt by hypocrisy in the church, an anti-Lordship advocate, a pantheist, and evolutionist, and a Roman Catholic. Know anyone of these persuasions? Or do you yourself fit any of these persuasions? I found it to be of helpful assistance in drawing me closer to Christ, as well as give me a useful tool to be winsome in my speech, not just among unbelievers, but brothers and sisters in the church who have been saved out of these false systems of thought. If read, I believe you will also grow in tactful speech. May God be glorified as we continue to live our lives as servants willing to be out on the Road, pointing people to the way that leads to the City and away from the Abyss.

To listen to the interview this book and his most recent project Collision, please go here.

Book by Stuart Scott

Review by Richard Shin

When I was handed Stuart Scott’s From Pride to Humility: A Biblical Perspective, I was taken aback by how thin the book is. Rather than a book, it resembled more a pamphlet. I soon found out that the book is a revised chapter out of The Exemplary Husband; I didn’t know this fact until I came across a reference to “husbands” (p. 24) at the end of the book. I realized that the book was preparing me to become much more than a husband; I was learning what it meant to be truly humble before my Lord. Although the book was originally intended for men, the Biblical truth that leads to rebuke and encouragement is applicable for everyone.

Scott makes a solid claim in the introduction by stating that “The question is not, ‘Do I have [pride]?’ but, ‘Where is it?’ and “How much of it do I have?’” (p. 2). We are all prideful; it is the “epidemic vice” (p. 2) that led to the Fall of Man, and will only cease to exist in Heaven. It is at the root of all of our sins. In Martin Luther’s The Large Catechism, Luther noted that if the First Commandment is observed, all others follow naturally (III, Part First, First Commandment). His statement is rooted in the idea that if you love God, you will obey His commandments, and desire to worship Him in all that you do. At the center of all our sins, we believe we are better than God (pride), and so we subconsciously decide it is better to obey our flesh, rather than God’s Word. It is a sign that we are not worshipping God; we are worshipping other idols (e.g. our desires, our possessions, our careers, etc.) above God.

I received an (at the time) unpleasant wake-up call with a list of thirty examples of the manifestation of pride. The best part of this humble pie was the Biblical references he gives with each example. They were impactful because with each example and verse, I was reminded continually of how much God knows me. He knows my deepest, darkest sins that lie in direct defiance against Him. Yet He predestined me to be saved so that I may be used for His purposes. And by reading this list and God’s Word from which the list originated, I stood naked before my Lord and Savior, stripped of any reason to see why I am better than anyone else. And oddly enough, I realized I was finding my appropriate place in His presence, not even worthy to untie the strap of His sandals (Mark 1:7).

If the book was devoid of everything but rebuke, I would have come out of it with severe depression. But the latter half of the book discusses putting off our pride, and putting on humility. Appropriately enough, the first example Scott gives is that of Christ. The humility He displayed by laying aside His majesty, coming to Earth, and dying our death is and forever will be the ultimate example of selflessness. Christ’s example is even more appropriate because “humility is the one enabling quality that will allow us to become all Christ wants us to be” (p. 1).

Scott contrasts the examples of pride with those of humility. God’s power and promise of sanctification become ever so real for the believer. It is refreshing to know we can become more like Christ in humility. And it’s also comforting to know that after we are convicted of our sins, God doesn’t just leave us to fend for ourselves; we have the ministry of the indwelling Spirit to guide us. We also know that all things work together for the good of those who love Him, for His purposes (Romans 8:28). So, it’s not a matter of identifying and eliminating each manifestation of pride, but fully and wholeheartedly trusting in God’s perfect plan of redemption, namely trusting in our Lord Jesus Christ’s finished work on the cross (2 Cor. 1:9). And because Christ finished the work for us, we have no reason to worry in our struggle to attain humility. As Paul says, we “stand firm in our faith” (1 Cor. 1:24).

The book is a short read. If you think you’re not prideful, you really need to read this book. If you think you’re prideful because the Bible says you are, but you’re not sure why, read the book. And if you know you’re prideful and are trying to find ways to humble yourself, read the book. Depending on how seriously you choose to chew on Scott’s (and more importantly, God’s) words, you may find a deeper level of pride than you knew you had, yet also find yourself loving Christ more than you ever did before.

Book by Alexander Strauch

Review by Garrett Glende

The first time I saw Alexander Strauch’s book, Love or Die, I was immediately intrigued by the title and went on to read about it on a few blogs. Its reviewers praised it tremendously and I quickly added it to the list of books I wanted to read. After Pastor John’s recent sermon bearing the same title, I was convinced that this was a mustread and after reading it now, I can whole-heartedly say that it lived up to my expectations.

In Love or Die, Strauch exposits Revelation 2:1-7, where Jesus speaks of the Ephesian church. While the church had many strong points, there was one aspect that it severely lacked in. Christ commends the Ephesians, saying, “I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.” He also extols them for their perseverance and endurance for His sake. Strauch writes that “He praises this church because it had no tolerance for those who profess the Christian faith but justify an immoral lifestyle.” They were a church that sought to uphold sound doctrine and persevere through trials.

However, Christ’s heavy rebuke to the church resounds: “But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.” Their love for Christ and for one another was not the same as it was at the beginning. Strauch puts it this way:

Their love for Christ and for one another had once motivated all they did. It brought joy, creativity, freshness, spontaneity, and energy to their life and work. But now their energy source was depleted. Their work had become mundane, mechanical, and routine, and their lives the picture of self-satisfaction.

In light of this rebuke, Strauch writes six ways that the church can cultivate love. This section composes part two of the book. Each chapter is devoted to a separate topic on the development of love. He encourages the church to study, pray for, teach, model, guard, and practice true love. I found these chapters to be very practical and helpful, specifically the ones on praying for love and practicing love. Strauch’s words are insightful, yet not overly complicated, and concise, yet not lacking in depth. He gets to the heart of the issues and does not waste time with periphery issues.

The importance of Love or Die’s message cannot be overstated. In this short book, Alexander Strauch has reminded us of the supremacy of love in our lives. It is a message that should never drift far from our hearts and minds. Love or die!